Denis & Didier Berthollier

France, Savoie

2 Stars Revue du Vin de France

Sustainable

The Bertholliers are of strong wine-making tradition; growers, owners and winemakers for several generations. Brothers Denis and Didier cultivate 10 hectares of vines on the southern slopes of the Savoyard in Chignin, located ten kilometers from Chambery. Their great-grandfather, Louis Tissot, founded the farm in 1850. Their grandfather Marius maintained a mix of farming and livestock, in addition to vines. His daughter Monique then took over and married Denis and Didier’s father, Alexis Berthollier, himself the son of winemaker. They abandoned polyculture to devote their activity fully to the vines. Alexis father, Victor Berthollier, who was winemaker at Aprement, was probably the first winemaker to bottle Savoyard wine for the mass-market in 1970! Denis and Didier harvest, vinify and do the bottling themselves at the domain. They have eliminated the use of insecticides and fungicides in all their vines and ceased the use of weed-killer since 2008, enabling grass to grow in the rocky slope vineyards. They use only naturally occurring, indigenous yeasts and very minimal SO2. Their wines have a pureness and finesse among the best of the Savoy region.

This traditional method brut has been made since 1985. The current vintage "85.3 " is the third name! Average 3-5gr/L residual sugar. Aged 18 months on slats. Whole berries pressing, cold settling without enzymes. Alchoholic fermentation by wild yeast. Assembling two different vintage wines. Bottle fermentation (secondary fermentation) over 15 months, then scouring and final corking with expedition liqueur. Very low use sulfites and compliance with lunar phases for the work in the cellar (racking, bottling ...). Golden yellow, brilliant color with a fresh nose,of white flowers.

Locally known as Bergeron, this Roussanne wine is grown on the south, southwest facing southern part of the Savoyard of steep hillsides. The crop is harvested in several passages, from mid-September to mid-October, yielding 35-35 hL/ha depending on the vintage. Whole berry pressing, cold settling without enzymes, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, 80% in tanks and 20% in barrels (no new oak). Matured on fine lees with bâtonages for 4-9 months. Low sulphite use and following of lunar phases for "major" work in the cellar (racking, bottling).

From densely planted (7000-8500 vines/ha) Jacquère vines on a steep scree limesone, silty clay hillside facing south in the Savoyard. 80% hand-harvested in bins of 350kg to limit the crushing and 20% machine. Pressing of entire cluster. Cold settling without enzyme addition. The soils are vinified separately. Low sulphite use and following of lunar phases for "major" work in the cellar (racking, bottling).

"Marius' Salt" is From densely planted 6300-8500 vines/ha. trained by guyot and cordon de royat. Yield: 40 to 50 hl / ha. harvested in small bins. 100% de-stemmed. Fermentation for 10 to 12 days with punching. 30% aged in demi-muids, racking by gravity. Fining with egg white. Low sulphite use and following of lunar phases for "major" work in the cellar.

“Mondeuse and my drop of…” is from low limestone hills of mostly clay and moraines facing southwest. Green harvesting. Yield: 40-50 hl / ha. Tri berries. Fermentation 10 to 22 days, including 30% in demi-muids. Racking by gravity. Soft pressing. Aged part in tank and the other half in demi-muids of 600 liters. Bottled in September. Low sulphite use and following of lunar phases for "major" work in the cellar.

100% Roussette, a varietal that originates from the Traminer family. According to legend, Anne of Cyprus introduced this variety in Savoy when she married Louis II of Savoy. It yields small harvests and ripens late but is resistant to grey rot. South/south-west exposure on the southern slopes of the Savoyard dominated by high rock elevations (high limestone cliffs). The very steep terrain favors sun exposure. The high cliffs create air masses of convection, leading to significant differences in temperature between day and night. Vines have only been cultivated here since the early 1900’s, so steep is the terrain. Yields range from 25 to 40 hL/ha. Whole berry pressing, cold settling without enzymes. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks and barrels at low temperature (13°-14°c). Maturing on fine lees with lees stirring (4-9 months).

"The Tissot Granges" 100% Mondeuse is densely planted (7500-8000 vines/ha.) on clay-limestone marl though yields only an average of 35hL/ha, so thoroughly is it prunned and the grapes selected. 100% de-stemmed. Racking by gravity after 17-21 days of maceration in big barrels of 600 liters. Aged for 18 months minimum in big barrels. Fining with egg white. Low sulphite use and following of lunar phases for "major" work in the cellar.

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